IND vs ENG Dharamsala Test: England Playing 11 Announced. Check Details

England has decided against bolstering their seam-bowling resources for the fifth Test against India in Dharamsala. Despite speculation suggesting otherwise due to anticipated cold conditions, England has opted to stick with their tried and tested XI, making just one change from the side that faced defeat in Ranchi last month.

England XI for Dharamsala Test

1. Ben Duckett
2. Zak Crawley
3. Ollie Pope
4. Joe Root
5. Jonny Bairstow
6. Ben Stokes (c)
7. Ben Foakes
8. Tom Hartley
9. Shoaib Bashir
10. Mark Wood
11. James Anderson

Mark Wood replaces Ollie Robinson in the lineup, marking the only alteration from the previous match. The decision to retain the existing balance, which saw England competitive in Ranchi, was made after a thorough inspection of the pitch by the management team led by Ben Stokes, along with Brendon McCullum, Marcus Trescothick, and Jeetan Patel.

Despite discussions surrounding the possibility of playing an additional seamer, England has opted to maintain the spin balance, with Shoaib Bashir’s offspin retained alongside Tom Hartley’s left-arm spin. This decision was made even in light of Bashir’s spinning finger injury sustained during the fourth Test, with England confident that it won’t significantly impact his performance. Both Bashir and Robinson missed training on Wednesday due to stomach complaints.

Robinson’s omission from the XI follows a lackluster performance in the previous Test, compounded by a back strain suffered while batting in England’s first innings. His absence opens the door for Wood, England’s fastest bowler, who returns to the lineup after being rested in Ranchi following a heavy workload in Rajkot.

The absence of a specialist third seamer could potentially signal a return to bowling fitness for England’s captain, Stokes, who has been gradually increasing his workload in the nets throughout the tour after undergoing knee surgery over the winter.

Leading England’s attack once again will be the evergreen James Anderson, who, at the age of 41, is set to play his fourth consecutive match of the tour. Anderson is on the cusp of a significant milestone, needing just two more wickets to reach the illustrious 700-wicket mark in Test cricket.

As the teams gear up for the fifth and final Test, scheduled to commence shortly, England’s decision to stick with a seam-heavy lineup showcases their confidence in the existing squad’s abilities to challenge India in what promises to be an enthralling encounter in Dharamsala.